"So, if Naruto successfully passes the test, he'll become even stronger than a Jonin?"
"Yes, much, much stronger!"
Hearing Yuuki's affirmative answer, Natsuri and Sasuke both felt a huge sense of loss.
It was like discovering that a seemingly ordinary, even somewhat shabby, friend was actually a rich second-generation heir, with hundreds of billions in family assets waiting to be inherited.
This had nothing to do with how good their relationship was; such a reaction was only human nature.
However, immediately after, Natsuri and Sasuke thought about the strange looks Naruto always received in the past.
Although the situation was much better now, it couldn't be completely avoided.
The Villagers knowing that Naruto was the Fourth Hokage's son did not contradict the Villagers disliking the Nine-Tailed and consequently looking at Naruto with strange expressions.
A hero's son was never a rare thing; if you randomly picked ten households in Konoha, half would have a hero's son, three would have a hero's grandson, and the remaining two would, more or less, be related to a Konoha hero.
Guilt and disgust coexisting was the normal phenomenon, after all, every Konoha Villager was a living person.
Natsuri and Sasuke recalled various things about Naruto, especially when they first met him.
If Naruto's power came at the cost of losing both parents and being looked down upon, both of them shivered in their hearts.
Then, thinking about Naruto's tragic background, yet his continued optimism about life and hope for the future.
Natsuri and Sasuke simultaneously had a thought.
Naruto deserves this power!
While feeling happy for Naruto in their hearts, the two inevitably felt a slight sense of loss.
Natsuri thought, "Naruto will become so strong after he returns; am I, as the leader, unworthy of the title? Will I still need Naruto to protect me if we encounter danger in the future?"
And Sasuke thought, "That idiot was already stronger than me, and now the gap is only going to widen. Damn it!!!"
Yuuki observed their reactions, especially Sasuke's, as he had more interaction with Natsuri.
Although he had a sour face, there was no jealousy or hatred in his eyes, but rather a sense of powerlessness due to his own weakness.
A slight ripple also stirred in Yuuki's heart.
Sasuke had always been quite likable to Yuuki, whether it was Erzhuzi from the original work or the adorable Haru-suke in front of him.
In the original work, Naruto's Ninja Way of always following through on his words and pushing forward was indeed inspiring and made people's blood boil.
However, Sasuke, whose face-slapping moments could be made into a separate movie, repeatedly got beaten down and got back up, demonstrating a persistent spirit that was equally passionate, only his pretentious personality covered up his shining points.
Moreover, in Yuuki's current view, what's wrong with being pretentious? It's a hidden talent of the Uchiha Clan!
"Clap, clap~"
Clapping his hands, Yuuki drew their attention to himself.
"Alright, don't be discouraged by your companion's strength; you should be happy and use it to motivate yourselves!"
"Understood."
"Yes."
They readily agreed, but for a moment, they still couldn't quite accept it.
Yuuki knew it was time to help them regain their confidence.
"Let me ask you a question: do you know who is currently recognized as the strongest in the Ninja World?"
After Yuuki finished speaking, he watched the two intently.
Natsuri and Sasuke also looked at Yuuki, not speaking, but their eyes were already self-explanatory.
"That's right, it's me. I've already introduced myself to you. Other Villages also have Tailed Beasts, and also possess Jinchuriki, even perfect Jinchuriki. So, why am I the strongest?"
Natsuri and Sasuke were stunned by the question, then exchanged glances, trying to see if the other had an answer.
About half a minute later, Natsuri and Sasuke's eyes grew brighter and brighter, especially Sasuke's, whose expression went from cloudy to clear, his eyes filled with determination and confidence.
"It seems you've already figured it out. The reason I can become the strongest in the Ninja World today is because of the bloodline of our Uchiha Clan—this pair of Sharingan."
Yuuki's Mangekyo Sharingan was already activated in his eye sockets as he tried to convince the two.
"Next, I will introduce you to the true power of our Uchiha Clan's Sharingan. There are many things that only I, as the clan head, am qualified to know..."
Yuuki then explained some information about the Sharingan to the two, such as the difference between one-tomoe to three-tomoe, the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan, and the suppressive effect of the Sharingan on Tailed Beasts.
After explaining the power of the Sharingan, both Natsuri and Sasuke eagerly asked Yuuki to teach them how to activate the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Yuuki was quite speechless; although he possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, he himself didn't know how he activated it.
It was indeed Hellfire harvesting souls and increasing his visual prowess, after which the Mangekyo Sharingan naturally activated.
But why Hellfire harvesting souls could be converted into visual prowess was something Yuuki had no idea about.
Because of this, what else could Yuuki do but continue to bluff?
"The method of activating the Mangekyo Sharingan varies for each person, which is why it's prefixed with 'Mangekyo.' Moreover, it's related to the talent of each Uchiha clan member. For example, some Ninja within the clan can only develop their Sharingan to the two-tomoe level throughout their lives, unable to activate three-tomoe, let alone the Mangekyo!"
At these words, the two finally stopped pestering him, but Sasuke at this point began to subtly doubt his own talent.
Sasuke knew that although he and Natsuri both possessed the Sharingan, Natsuri had three-tomoe, while he only had one-tomoe.
They were the same age, making it hard for Sasuke not to overthink.
However, just then, Yuuki's voice came again.
"Of course, Natsuri and Sasuke, you don't need to worry about the issue of talent. Do you remember what I just said, that both eyes of the Mangekyo Sharingan come with a unique visual jutsu?"
Saying this, Yuuki pointed to his own eyes.
"One of my visual jutsus has been experienced by everyone in your Konoha, and you must have heard many speculations. And my other visual jutsu is the ability to clearly see the talent of every Uchiha clan member!"
Yuuki could almost spout such nonsense without thinking.
"When I activated my Mangekyo Sharingan, I was already the head of the Uchiha Clan. And as I mentioned to you earlier, the Sharingan is also known as the 'Eye that Reflects the Heart.' As the clan head, in order to better lead the clan, I was fortunate to gain the visual jutsu to see the talent of clan members when I activated my Mangekyo!"
Speaking lies that sounded more like truth than the truth itself, Yuuki barely needed to think. He then pointed to Natsuri and said,
"Natsuri, your talent is extremely high. Activating the Mangekyo shouldn't be a difficult task for you."
After speaking, Yuuki again pointed to Sasuke.
"And you, Sasuke, you are the most talented Uchiha clan member I have ever seen. Including myself, no Uchiha clan member possesses your kind of talent. Therefore, the Mangekyo Sharingan should not be your goal; your goal should be to surpass the Mangekyo!"
It wasn't just encouraging words; Yuuki practically force-fed Sasuke an entire old hen's worth of encouragement.
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